


LOVE Shack

by StripesnBooks



Series: Homes After the Mountain [4]
Category: Dusttale - Fandom, Horrortale - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Depression, Disability, Disabled Reader, F/M, Implied Emotional Manipulation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, fibromyalgia, panics attacks, references to cannibalism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-06-23 20:43:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15614607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StripesnBooks/pseuds/StripesnBooks
Summary: Your life isn't going so great recently. Ever since your twin sister left, you've struggled with depression, bills, and school. It becomes too much, and even affects your health, rendering you mobility disabled. You decide that things aren't going to change if you stay here, so you go find your sister.In Ebott, the city of monsters.But she's living with a bunch of skeletons, and facing her own troubles. It's great being together again, but what are you really doing here? But then, one of the skeletons offers you a job watching over some of their... more difficult friends.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HELL YEAH GUYS IM SO HYPE TO POST THIS ive been working on it almost as long as the Itch. so, heres the twin, y/n. but they both refer to each other with childhood nicknames. this'll be fun.
> 
> my medicine costs have tripled because im back in america. pls send help  
> https://ko-fi.com/stripesnbooks
> 
> ooooh yeaaaaaah you want some sicc content? i know a gal.  
> https://homesafterthemountain.tumblr.com/

You could do it. 

 

You could try harder, work harder, study harder.

 

Never enough

 

Never enough

 

NEVER ENOUGH

 

WHY IS IT NEVER ENOUGH

 

…

 

…

 

Why am I never enough?

  
  
  


You absentmindedly spun your cane between your hands while you waited outside the doctor’s office. The new medication was not helping. You needed something else, or something more, or… just something.

 

You had had to quit one of your jobs already, and you didn’t know how long you would last in your other.

 

When this semester ended, you were going to quit school, too. You had dreams that needed tending to.

 

You were so tired.

 

So very, very, tired.

 

Finally, the doctor called you in, and you sat down in the chair across from him. You started with your normal conversation. You told him it hurt, and he told you they could try upping your doses. You agreed. What else was there to do? You left the office, payed your co-pay, and walked down to the parking lot, leaning heavily on your cane. Today the pain was in your hips and your left thigh, but it changed in location and intensity from time to time. Fibromyalgia. According to the doctors, you had literally stressed yourself out so much that your body decided to stop working in an attempt to get you to calm down. When you were off the meds, your legs hurt too much to walk. Not that the wheelchair was much better, since your legs still hurt, just not as much, and your arms were also made weak by this disease. Not like you could afford a fancy electric chair, though. God forbid you were allowed nice things. Your insurance was trash. 

 

You sat down in the driver’s seat and let your head rest on the wheel, just for a minute. When had things gone so wrong? That was a stupid question, you already knew the answer too well. The real question was: can anything fix all this? You couldn’t go to school. Couldn’t work. Your parents wanted you to come live with them, but you would sooner jump into a fire.

 

Maybe... You had already forgiven her, after all. And the two of you had been talking more. Maybe it was time to trust again. Maybe it was time to pay a visit to your sister.

  
  
  


Your apartment is pretty messy. You hate that it’s messy. It would be so easy to clean. You could throw the trash in a bag and the clothes in a hamper, and it would be almost clean. But you were tired, so you didn’t. You glance at the other room. The door is closed, but you know what’s in there: some of her clothes, books, video games, and a few other sundries. All packed into boxes. Well, and the furniture, of course. She had never been a hoarder. Not that you were one either, but you had more hobbies than she ever did.

 

You had both used to play video games together.

 

You walked past it all and into your room, where you fell onto the bed, throwing your cane to the side. You didn’t know how you were going to pay for rent. Even with the money you had saved up, it would only last a couple more months. But you needed some of that money for your new medicines. And with one more month of school scholarship money wouldn’t be able to help any more. Your parents wouldn’t send you financial aid. They just wanted you to come home to them. Their last child. You quietly laughed at the situation. How they treated their other children as if they were dead. You swore that someday, you would be a much better parent. But the situation was bleak. Going back to them was, objectively, the most logical decision. At the same time, it really wasn’t an option. But all through that last month of school, you kept thinking.

 

Could you really go to your sister instead? Were you ready to do that?

 

To see her again?

 

What if she hated you now?

 

For what you’d done.

 

You knew she didn’t.

 

But with how hard it was not to hate yourself, it was easy to forget.

 

Seeing her would make it all real again.

 

But you could either run from your twin, or run from your parents.

 

In truth, the choice was obvious.

 

And after she called and told you where she was, there was really nothing more to wait for.

 

You were going to Nyl.

 

You were going to Ebott.


	2. Reunion

 

It took a long time to pack everything, and sell or donate the rest. It left you with a surprising amount of money. Not a lot, but more than you expected. Knowing your sister, once you got there she’d already have a good thing going. She had said she was doing well last time you spoke, so her new roommate arrangement must be working out. Even with how little you talked before, you knew she hated her old roommate, so you were happy for her. Staring at the empty apartment, you looked down at your list again. You had all the papers, all the electronics, all the important stuff. You were going to just bail on your lease, and screw the consequences. You could find a new place in Ebott. Maybe meet some monsters! You would like to live with your sister again, but you could find somewhere else - _ if she didn't want you _ \- if you wanted.

 

You got in the car, checked your prescriptions one more time, and took a deep breath.

 

Logically, you had all your bases covered. The worst case scenario wasn’t that bad.

 

But this was big. It was so hard to take that first step. But you did.

 

You started the GPS, set to Nyl’s workplace in Ebott.

  
  
  


You had made a conscious decision to hate highways. They were too long, too boring, and your wrists hurt from gripping the steering wheel for so long. Well, your fibromyalgia didn’t help with that either, even if the medicine made a lot of things easier. But this whole medical situation had caused your endurance in all physical activities to tank. You also hated stopping at rest stops, because every time it got harder to start driving again. Ugh! Why did Nyl have to live so far away! 

 

…

 

You knew why. You felt a pang of guilt and loneliness.

 

You were at another rest stop, sitting in the car with the drivers side door open, munching on chips and thinking. Going over your plan again and again in your head. You loved puzzles, patterns, seeing how everything fit together to form something whole and complete. And so when your sister had vanished, only to contact you a few months later refusing to say where she was, you had begun collecting clues. Evidence. Whatever. You took note of the weather, and the clothes she wore each time you were in a video call, and decided that it was similar enough to where you lived to be in the same general area of the country. That didn’t mean too much, but it was a starting place. You took note of any takeout, which stores or restaurants you could assume were in the area. You eventually learned she worked at a casino, one of the few in whatever city she was at. With this, there were still hundreds of possibilities. But then, your last birthday, she had given you an extra present, something more than the amazon package she sent. She told you what town she was in. 

 

Ebott. The city where the monsters came out of the mountain. And kept coming, apparently. There were four clans now? They must have really dug their cities deep under the mountain to fit so many. But now you knew where she was. And you easily located the place she worked at. Luck’s Last Horseshoe, in the seedier part of town as casinos tended to be (as far as you were aware), was a big building that was a bar and casino, with many rumors surfacing when you searched for it on the internet. Some said that if you give the bartender a code word you could buy certain illegal drugs, some saying it was built on a gravesite and is cursed, some saying it was a front for one of the local gangs like the Morningstars… you really hoped Nyl had moved past all the gang stuff, but realistically you knew it wasn’t likely. And research of the Morningstars pointed to them being heavily into drug dealing. You prayed to whoever was out there that she hadn’t taken up using anything dangerous.

 

The monster aspect, however, was extremely exciting. A whole new type of people, all willing to live together and communicate. You could meet monsters! Maybe Nyl had monster friends! Maybe you could help! Especially with your hobbies. That had been the whole point of quitting college anyway, right? No more focus on money, but living doing what you loved. And your hobbies would probably prove useful to plenty of monsters.

 

With a lighter heart, the door was closed and you were back on the highway. It would only be a couple more hours; you’d probably arrive before it got dark, provided you don’t get lost in the city. You put on one of your playlists until you get there, one you made to keep you upbeat and ready to fight your way through life.

 

…

 

It was taking so long.

 

You hated highways.

  
  
  


You were right, it wasn’t dark yet when the city became visible. You took the appropriate exit and tried not to be overwhelmed as you entered. It was a fairly normal city, plenty of various buildings, street signs, restaurants, offices, parks… but. There were  _ monsters _ . Some larger than life, looking like humans but bigger and horned, some incredibly small looking like origami sculptures the size of dogs, most in groups. Walking together, entering stores, wearing t-shirts of bands you recognized. It was getting hard to pay attention to the GPS.

 

You forced your focus back onto the road, taking a few turns into a downtown sort of area. There was the casino, sandwiched between some kind of curry restaurant and a public parking lot. Parking close by, you walk into the surprisingly busy establishment. Surrounded by flashing lights, the noise of dinging slot machines, and rowdy voices, you made your way to the bar. You figured that was the safest place to ask if anyone knew your sister. Upon arrival, you were met by a gorgeous woman with wavy red hair, whose expression soured as she took you in.

 

“Um, excuse me?” you tried.

 

“What do you want now?” she replied, coming to lean on the counter near you.

 

You were a bit taken aback, before realizing she might have mistaken you for your sister. You smiled at this thought. You were getting so close to seeing her again. “Um, i’m looking for my twin sister who works here? Her name is-”

 

“HOLY SHIT!” the woman jerks back as if struck, complete surprise on her face. For a few seconds she just stares at you, before bursting into laughter. “Oh my GOD. i can’t- fuck. Wait here. He’d better be back here tonight… ANNY!” she retreats into the employee area, leaving you to awkwardly hover at the bar.

 

However, it wasn't long until a very attractive and tough looking man followed the red head out, only to follow her same pattern of staring for a minute before bursting into laughter. 

 

You didn't really appreciate it. “I take it my sister never spoke of me?”

 

“I knew she had a sister,” the man answered, “but a twin? No, she never told us.”

 

You sighed. “well, can you help me contact her? An address would be great.”

 

“yeah, sure.” the man came around to your side of the bar as the woman began attending to other patrons. “Do you need a ride there?”

 

“No thanks, I brought my car.” And the rest of your life. 

 

He took notice of the cane you brought in, but said nothing about it. “alright, lemme get a pen. How much has she told you about her new roommates?” he raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes searching yours.

 

“Not much. But with Nyl there, I'm not worried.”

 

“Nyl?”

 

You smiled. “An old childhood nickname. Feel free to tease her about it.” he shook with laughter yet again, but handed you the address written on a napkin. You thanked him with a smile. Back to the car for you. 

 

This ride was thankfully much shorter, but you double checked the address when you entered…. Suburbs. Your violent, acting out, hardcore sister. ..was living in suburbia. Who the hell convinced her?! You both agreed long ago that you hated these kind of places. It was getting dark out, so you couldn't really see what the neighbors were like, but you were dying to meet the roommates by now. You pulled into the empty driveway and made your way to the door of the enormous three story house. It all felt so surreal. You could even hear what sounded like a lively family dinner somewhere in the house. Was this really the right place? Pushing back your mounting anxiety, you pushed the doorbell. 

 

For a moment, there was silence. 

 

And then a skeleton opened the door. 

 

You tried not to stare at the skeleton in front of you, and instead tried to speak like a normal, polite person. You feel like you failed on both counts, but hopefully your gentle smile made up for some of it.

 

“Um, i’m looking for my sister,” you tried, not knowing if she was still going by the same name after she had escaped. “Um, do you know-”

 

“Yo Paps, who is it?” it was her voice. Nyl’s voice came from the living room and you just… locked up. You hadn’t actually seen her, face to face, in almost a year. What if she didn’t want to see you? What if she hated you?! What if-

 

“IT’S YOU!” the skeleton (apparently Paps) called back down the hall.

 

“The hell does that… mean…” and there she was. Nyl walked to the door, staring at you with a look of open shock. “Byrd…” your childhood nickname was a whisper on her voice.

 

You resisted the urge to just fall into her arms, to sob and say how much you missed her, how angry you were at what she did, how much you loved her, how you hoped she had forgiven you… instead, you flipped the switch off, draining yourself of all those exhausting emotions, for the moment. Instead, you said, “so, the good news is that i brought your stuff. The bad news is that i am still very, very angry.”

 

And then Nyl fell onto  _ you _ , wrapping you in a hug so tight you thought you might pop. “FUCK! Byrd what the hell?! Why are you here? I thought you hated me but i’m so glad to see you i missed you so much i’m so sorry but i would do it again and i’m so sorry, i’m so, so sorry…” and Nyl began to cry, and you flipped the switch to your emotions back on and you began to cry as well, and skeletons crowded in the doorway but you didn’t care.

 

You had your twin with you. You were whole again.

  
  
  


The two of you were in Nyl’s room now, both trying to figure out where to start. The six skeleton roommates had given you space, and you sat on your twin’s bed, hugging a giant stuffed apple. Nyl was pacing the room, looking more and more nervous. Finally, you spoke.

 

“Go ahead and ask about the cane.”

 

Nyl’s head snapped up, and then she looked at your cane, abandoned on the floor near the doorway. “Okay. what happened to make you need a cane, and who do i need to hurt?”

 

Of course it had to be someone’s fault, had to be a problem she could punch and feel better. You rolled your eyes. “I have fibromyalgia.”

 

She looked confused. “What’s that? Some kind of disease? What’s the cure?”

 

You took a deep breath. Keep the emotions off. If you flip the switch now, you’ll just turn into a blubbering mess. Your voice went cold, analytical, and void of emotion. “It’s… well, allegedly it’s from stressing out so much that something goes wrong in my brain. I’m in pain all the time, and without my medicine, i can’t walk or use my arms for things like writing. I’m very weak, and almost always tired.” her eyes had narrowed at the word ‘allegedly’, but slowly shifted to horror.

 

“So how do we fix it?!”

 

“We can’t.”

 

“Bullshit!”

 

Stay calm. Deep breaths. Feel nothing. “Fibromyalgia is sometimes what they diagnose you with when you fail all the other tests. They don't actually know what causes it or how to fix it. They just know i don't have arthritis, lyme disease, cancer, torn ligaments, infection, and they ran out of tests no matter how many times they took blood,  _ stabbed  _ me with  _ needles _ ,  _ shocked me with electricity- _ ”

 

Suddenly Nyl was there, arms wrapped around you. You flipped the switch and let the panic attack run through you. You heaved great body-wracking sobs, gripping tightly to your sister, your stronger half, and let her shirt be soaked with your tears.

 

“You  _ left  _ me!” you wailed. “You left me alone and you  _ vanished _ ! And i was alone and Allyn couldn’t help and mom and dad kept trying to get me to go back to them and i just  _ broke _ , Nyl!”

 

“I’m sorry. I'm so, so sorry. i should never have left you alone.” she apologized over and over, but she was shaking too, you knew she was crying as well. “You won’t go back to them. I’ll protect you now, and i’ll never leave you alone again. I’ll never let them fucking touch us ever again!”

 

You sat there, holding each other, and the guilty and embarrassed monsters outside slowly left the bedroom door in pairs.

 

“Sorry,” you apologized as you calmed down. “Just… it was so hard, doing this alone. Sure our friends were there, but they couldn’t really do anything, and i love them, but i wasn’t exactly ready to bare my soul to them and pile all my issues on top of theirs.”

 

Nyl sighed. “Yeah. but you know, you can’t just hold shit in like that. I know you want to keep everyone else safe and happy or whatever, but you can’t do that if you’re becoming more mentally unhealthy yourself. If you’re drowning, you can’t save anyone else.”

 

You gaze hardened. “Says the girl you tried to go to prison for me and left me to this.” you pulled away and wrapped your arms around yourself.

 

Nyl winced. “I’m really, really sorry. I just… i’ve been before, for short periods, and i didn’t think you could handle it.”

 

“Well just… don’t leave me alone like that again. I can handle being apart from you, although i don’t like it, but what i can’t handle is being alone. And the only other person i had was Allyn, and he’s still halfway across the country.” you found yourself wrapped around your twin again, seeking that physical presence, that reassurance that you weren’t alone anymore. That someone cared enough to wrap their arms around you and let the warmth of their body comfort yours.

 

“Yeah. i’ll make sure you’re never alone like that again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS DONT UNDERSTAND HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BYRD IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS AND I LOVE HER.
> 
> the story wont pick up for a bit, but im excited that i can finally put this chapter out. a matching chapter in The Itch will be out soon, probably next month.

**Author's Note:**

> it's not much to start with, but here we are. look forward to all that is to come. ;3
> 
> buy me a ko-fi?  
> https://ko-fi.com/stripesnbooks
> 
> we gon have a good time.  
> https://homesafterthemountain.tumblr.com/
> 
> next chapter: reunion


End file.
